Salman's Bigg Boss is Indian TV's most expensive reality show, ad rates hiked by 20 pc

Mumbai: The sixth season of Bigg Boss is going to become one of the most expensive reality shows on Indian television at Rs 150-160 crore, says a media report. The show is commanding a 20 per cent premium on its ad rates this year, says the report. This time, Bigg Boss Salman Khan will be inviting the family to watch the reality show, unlike the earlier editions which saw the contestants hopping into bed with each other (remember Veena Malik?) or dancing suggestively to Bollywood item numbers. The sixth edition begins next month on Colors, which has recast the show this time as a family entertainer. Corporates from the telecom sector, the FMCG sector and even a white goods company are bidding to become the title sponsors this time, says the report. A 10-second spot is being sold close to Rs 3 lakhs, while the title sponsor is going to shell out anywhere between Rs 35-40 crore, the report says. Harish Shriyan,CEO of OMD says : "Salman Khan's successful run at the box office does not necessarily mean that one can ask for higher ad rates, yet his mass appeal is what has lured in the white goods brand which has thrown in its hat into the Bigg Boss ring for the first time." For now,these rates are still lower than what KBC has notched at Rs 3.75 lakh per 10-sec for this season. For Colors, the success of Bigg Boss is vital because the competition among the general entertainment channels this time is very close. The number one slot is with Star TV, while No 2, 3 and 4 slots witness a keen contest between colors, Sony and Zee. Star led with 264 GRPs last week,followed by Colors at 245, Zee at 227 and Sony at 210, according to TAM data.